A new piercing is an open wound, and the healing process is where most problems start — almost always from doing too much rather than too little. The golden rule is simple: keep it clean, keep your hands off it, and leave the jewellery alone. Follow the routine below and the vast majority of piercings heal without any trouble.
Your daily cleaning routine
Clean your piercing twice a day using a sterile saline wound wash — look for one containing only 0.9% sodium chloride, with no additives or fragrance. You can buy a ready-made saline spray, or dissolve a quarter-teaspoon of non-iodised sea salt in a cup (240ml) of warm, previously boiled water if you prefer to mix your own.
- Wash and dry your hands first.
- Spray or dab the saline onto both sides of the piercing and let it soak for a moment to soften any crust.
- Gently pat the area dry with clean kitchen roll — never a towel, which harbours bacteria and snags jewellery.
That's the whole routine. More cleaning than this can dry out and irritate the piercing, so twice daily is plenty.
Do
- •Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing — and only touch it when cleaning.
- •Clean twice a day with a sterile saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride and nothing else).
- •Spray or apply the saline, let it soak briefly, then gently pat dry with clean, non-shedding kitchen roll.
- •Leave the jewellery in place at all times — it keeps the channel open while it heals.
- •Change your pillowcase regularly, and keep hair, make-up and hair products away from the piercing.
- •Eat well and stay hydrated — your body heals a piercing far better when you're looking after yourself.
Don't
- •Don't twist, spin or slide the jewellery — this is an old myth and it only causes trauma.
- •Don't use cotton wool or cotton buds; fibres catch on jewellery and irritate the wound.
- •Don't use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, TCP, tea tree oil, Savlon or other creams and antiseptics.
- •Don't submerge a new piercing in swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes or the sea for the first 4–6 weeks.
- •Don't change or remove the jewellery yourself before it has healed — come to us instead.
- •Don't let anyone else touch your piercing, and avoid sleeping on it where you can.
Typical healing times
Healing varies from person to person. Crucially, a piercing often looks and feels healed on the surface long before it has healed internally — this is the single most common reason people run into trouble by changing jewellery too soon. Use these as a guide, not a deadline.
- Earlobe6–9 months
- Ear cartilage (helix, tragus, conch, rook, daith…)9–18 months
- Nostril6–9 months
- Septum6–8 weeks (soft tissue)
- Lip / labret2–3 months
- Tongue4–8 weeks
- Navel9–12 months
- Nipple9–12 months
Downsizing matters
Your initial jewellery is fitted slightly longer or larger to allow for swelling. Once that settles — usually around 6–8 weeks — you need a downsize to a shorter piece that sits flush to the skin. Skipping this step leaves excess jewellery to catch and tug, which causes irritation bumps and prolongs healing. We book your downsize as part of every piercing we do.
When to seek help
Some redness, swelling, tenderness and light crusting in the first week or two is completely normal. Get in touch with us, or seek medical advice, if you notice:
- Increasing rather than easing pain, swelling or heat after the first few days.
- Thick green or yellow discharge, or a bad smell.
- A spreading rash, red streaks from the site, or a fever.
- The jewellery starting to embed, or the piercing being visibly rejected (migrating toward the surface).
Never remove the jewellery if you suspect an infection — it can trap the infection inside. Come and see us first; we're always happy to take a look and advise, and it's always better to check than to guess.
Not sure about your piercing?
Pop into the studio or give us a call on 01228 598844 — a quick check is always free, whether or not we did the piercing.
Get in touchReady to book your consultation?
Walk-in and pre-booked piercing appointments in the heart of Carlisle. Tell us about your idea and we'll get straight back to you.